seo-meta-description

name	seo-meta-description
description	SEO optimization for blog articles: focus keyword, meta description, and on-page checklist. Use proactively before publishing articles, when the user mentions "SEO", "meta description", "focus keyword", "optimize SEO", or wants to improve search rankings.
user-invocable	true

SEO Optimization

Optimize an article's SEO frontmatter and (when needed) content before publishing.

Usage: /seo-meta-description posts/article-name.md

Step 1: Read and analyze

1. Read the full article.
2. Identify from the content:
   • Main topic and tools covered
   • Search intent: comparison ("X vs Y"), tutorial ("how to"), informational ("what is"), or tool overview
   • Unique value: what makes this article worth clicking
   • Target audience: who would search for this

Step 2: Review title and slug

Use the existing title and slug from the frontmatter. Suggest improvements if either falls short:

Field	Good when
Title	50 to 65 characters; primary topic front-loaded; has a hook (specific number, action verb, or compelling claim); reads naturally, not clickbait
Slug	Lowercase, hyphenated; 3 to 50 characters; no stop words (the, a, of, in); mirrors the title's main topic

If the title doesn't meet the criteria, present 3 alternative titles using different angles and let the user choose. Derive a new slug from the chosen title.

Step 3: Generate focus keyword

The primary search term the article should rank for. It must appear in both the title and slug so the keyword, headline, and URL reinforce each other.

• 2 to 4 words, specific to the article's main topic
• Should match what the target audience would actually search for
• For comparisons: "tool-a vs tool-b"
• For tutorials: "how to [task] with [tool]"
• For overviews: "[tool] [primary use case]"

Step 4: Write meta description

Generate 3 options using the Action + Benefit + Keyword formula.

Formula

[Action verb] + [Benefit to reader] + [Focus keyword / specific detail]

Searchers scan SERPs in milliseconds, looking for the result that promises to solve their problem. Each component does specific work:

• Action verb: signals "this page will do something for you." Passive openers like "This article discusses..." fail the scan because they offer no clear payoff.
• Benefit: answers the searcher's implicit "what's in it for me?" Without it, the action is hollow.
• Keyword: closes the loop. Google bolds matching terms in the SERP, and seeing the exact phrase the searcher typed confirms "yes, this page is about my query."

Drop any one and the description becomes generic, vague, or off-topic.

Rules

Rule	Detail
Length	120 to 155 characters ideal. Never exceed 160. Mobile truncates at ~136, so front-load key info.
Focus keyword	Include naturally in the first half. Google bolds matching terms in SERPs.
Action verbs	Use direct, imperative language. Verbs like Learn, Discover, Compare, See how, Find out, Get, Build, Master work well as openers, but a strong specific claim can substitute.
Specifics	Include tool names, numbers, or concrete outcomes. "5 key differences" beats "key differences".
Intent match	Comparison: "vs". Tutorial: "how to" or "step by step". Tool overview: lead with what it solves.

What to avoid

• "In this article we explore..." (searchers can see it's an article)
• "Read more about..." or "This guide covers..." (generic)
• "Click here to learn..." (spammy)
• Keyword stuffing
• Em dashes (eat characters and clash with the project's writing style)

Patterns by article type

Comparison articles:

• [Tool A] vs [Tool B]: [specific differentiator]. [Benefit or outcome].
• Compare [Tool A] and [Tool B] for [use case]. See which handles [specific problem] better.

Tutorial / How-to:

• Learn how to [achieve outcome] with [tool]. [Specific scope or detail].
• [Tool] simplifies [task]. [What the reader will build or learn].

Standalone tool overview:

• [Tool] [solves what problem]. [Key feature] + [benefit].
• Discover how [tool] handles [specific challenge] with [feature].

Variety

Make the 3 options genuinely different in approach, not rephrased versions of the same idea.

Present options

Show the current description (if any), then the 3 options with character counts:

**Current** (155 chars):
> [existing meta description, or "(none)"]

---

**Option 1** (148 chars):
> [meta description text]

**Option 2** (153 chars):
> [meta description text]

**Option 3** (144 chars):
> [meta description text]

Let the user choose.

Step 5: Apply changes

Edit the YAML frontmatter to add meta_description and focus_keyword. Insert them after categories: and before any wordpress_* fields, matching the ordering in CLAUDE.md.

Step 6: On-page checklist

Report ✅ or ❌ for each check. Do not edit the title, slug, or body.

Check	Notes
Focus keyphrase in title	Pass after Step 3
Focus keyphrase in URL/slug	Pass after Step 3
Meta description set	Pass after Step 5
Focus keyphrase in meta description	Pass after Step 5
Meta description length 120 to 160 chars	Pass after Step 5
Focus keyphrase in first paragraph	Report only
Focus keyphrase in 1+ subheading	Report only
Focus keyphrase used 2 to 3+ times	Report only (with count)
Image alt contains keyphrase	Report only
Internal/external links	Report only (with count)
Article length ≥ 300 words	Report only (with count)